College World Series 2019: Finals Dates, Start Times, Live Stream, TV Schedule
June 24, 2019
Michigan (49-20) and Vanderbilt (57-11) both go into the championship round of the College World Series playing the game at a sensational level.
The Wolverines have rolled to three victories in the CWS, including a 15-3 triumph over Texas Tech in their last game. That explosive performance may be difficult to repeat against the Commodores.
Vanderbilt is also 3-0 in the CWS to this point, and the Commodores have a strong and deep lineup.
The championship round of the CWS is a best-of-3 matchup, with games Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, if necessary. All games will be played at TD Ameritrade Park in Omaha, Nebraska.
2019 College World Series: Championship
Monday, June 24
Game 1, Michigan vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Tuesday, June 25
Game 2, Michigan vs. Vanderbilt, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Wednesday, June 26
Game 3, Michigan vs. Vanderbilt, if necessary, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
The CWS can be live-streamed at WatchESPN
Vanderbilt has a powerful lineup that includes JJ Bleday, Austin Martin, Stephen Scott and Julian Infante.
Bleday is the leading slugger in the nation, and he has 26 home runs and 70 RBI. Martin is hitting .406, and he has belted 10 home runs and stolen 18 bases in 23 attempts.
Scott has 14 home runs and 59 RBI, while Infante has 12 home runs.
Bleday could prove to be the most dangerous hitter in the series against Michigan, and the Wolverines' pitching staff is going to have to contain him.
The Vanderbilt starting pitching staff includes Drake Fellows, Kumar Rocker, Patrick Raby and Mason Hickman. Fellows has a 13-1 record and a 3.97 earned-run average, while Rocker is 11-5 and has a 3.38 ERA.
Michigan has enough weapons to cause problems for the Commodores. The Wolverines are led by Jordan Brewer and Jordan Nwogu. Brewer is hitting .329 with 12 home runs and 57 runs batted in, and Nwogu is batting .326 with 12 homers and 46 RBI.
In addition to Brewer and Nwogu, Jimmy Kerr is also a dangerous hitter with 14 home runs and 62 RBI, while Jesse Franklin has hammered 13 homers and driven in 54 runs.
Michigan's starting pitchers Karl Kauffmann, Tommy Henry and Jeff Criswell will have the responsibility of keeping the Commodores in check. Kauffmann has a 12-6 record with a 2.75 ERA, Henry has an 11-5 mark and a 3.27 ERA and Criswell has a 7-1 record with a 2.60 ERA.
Henry will get the start in Game 1 for the Wolverines, while Fellows will go to the mound for Vanderbilt.